Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

Expert-Led Training: Planning for Ongoing Relationships in Adoption

This expert-led training session is designed to support social workers and managers in exploring effective planning for maintaining relationships for children placed for adoption within the context of culture change.

Adoption England has identified culture change as a strategic priority—particularly in modernising how adopted children maintain connections with birth relatives and other significant individuals. A growing body of international research highlights the positive impact of preserving links to a child’s birth history. Safe and meaningful connections are vital to adopted and care experienced people as they grow, reach independence and beyond. Some of the risks of not maintaining these connections are-

• Identity struggles and concept of self
• Unanswered questions
• Access to birth heritage, culture, and religion
• Known medical history.
• Lost sibling connections.
• Emotional difficulties in major life events.

In November 2023, the Public Law Working Group released a report recommending significant changes to adoption practices, especially in relation to contact arrangements and judicial approaches. The report emphasized the potential of existing legal provisions—such as Sections 26 and 51 of the Adoption and Children Act—to support a shift in culture and practice. Since its publication, several high-profile appeals have emerged, which we will review and discuss during the session.

We will also examine the evolving adoption landscape through the lens of recent research initiatives, considering their implications for practice and policy.

Learning 0utcomes

• Understand the importance of maintaining relationships for children placed for adoption, and the long-term impact on identity, emotional well-being, and access to heritage.
• Recognise the risks associated with loss of connection, including identity struggles, lack of medical history, and disrupted sibling relationships.
• Explore the strategic priority of culture change in adoption, as outlined by Adoption England, and its implications for practice.
• Examine the legal framework—specifically Sections 26 and 51 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002—and how these provisions can support meaningful post-adoption contact.
• Analyze recent developments in adoption law and policy, including the 2023 Public Law Working Group report and subsequent case law.
• Apply insights from current research to inform planning, decision-making, and support for children and families in adoption contexts.

About the trainers

Dr. Beverley Barnett Jones MBE

Dr Beverley Barnett-Jones H.C. MBE is a qualified registered social worker. She has worked with children and families for over 30 years, 29 of these as a qualified social worker. Beverley has been in the frontline of Children’s Social care undertaking a variety of social work practice and management roles in Local Authority and Family Court Settings. She was a member of the FDAC (Family Drug and Alcohol Court) partnership.

In 2023 she was invited to become an Advisor to the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. She is a Trustee for the Charity Kinship. She is currently the Associate Director for the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, (the Nuffield FJO), which produces research and data to improve outcomes for children and families going through the family courts. She led on the Observatory’s modernizing Adoption work and continues to support initiatives such as the Black adoption Project which seeks to address the racial disparities that exist in Adoption.

Beverley holds an Honorary Doctorate of the University of Essex and the NHS Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust in recognition of for her work in child protection, family justice and in setting up and promoting the FAMILY Drug & Alcohol Court in the UK. She will be retiring from her role as AD at the NFJO at end of 2025 and will be opening her own small consultancy specialising in family justice and children’s social care.

Vicky Swift

Vicky is a qualified social worker who joined the Adoption England national team in June 2022. Vicky is skilled in working with vulnerable children and families and is committed to promoting the experiences and voices of birth families and relationships important to children pre- adoption. Vicky leads the strategic priority of maintaining relationship, focused on finding ways for adopted children to have safe and meaningful relationships with the people who were important to them pre- adoption.

Vicky is passionate about exploring new ways of modernizing adoption and the way that adopted people maintain links and connections to their birth identity. She works on several projects with adoption agencies and partners looking at improving services for birth relatives and adopted people’s experiences of accessing their records and post adoption support. Vicky says- “I really feel passionate about listening to the voices of people who experience services to drive forward the change we hope to achieve.”

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

This session offers an insightful introduction to Theraplay©, a powerful, relationship-focused approach designed to help children and caregivers reconnect, regulate their emotions together, and foster a deep sense of trust. Drawing on years of clinical expertise and leadership at Family Futures, Jay Vaughan will demonstrate how Theraplay© can promote healing and attachment through interactive, playful, and carefully tailored sessions.

During the training, participants will learn about the key elements and principles of Theraplay©, the process of becoming a qualified Theraplay Practitioner, and the role of the MIM (Marschak Interaction Method) as a valuable assessment tool.

This taster session is designed for professionals who want to find out more about Theraplay© — whether you’re considering adding it to your practice or referring children and families for intervention.

Family Futures is a UK centre for Theraplay© training, with a team of qualified and experienced practitioners who specialise in working with children and families affected by trauma. Theraplay© is used nationally and internationally to help vulnerable children feel secure, cared for, connected, and valued.

Please note this webinar introduces the approach and is not a Theraplay© qualification.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate basic knowledge of the Theraplay© model, a model of play therapy with its roots in Attachment Theory with modifications for Trauma
• Describe how the Theraplay© dimensions of Structure, Engagement, Nurture and Challenge are used to meet children’s needs and address behaviour problems
• Explain basic knowledge of how the MIM is utilized to assess the parent-child relationship and to plan treatment or other interventions
• Explain how parents participate in Theraplay© sessions and the dyadic model

About the trainer

Jay Vaughan

Jay is the Clinical Director at Family Futures CIC and the CEO. She is a certified Theraplay therapist and supervisor as well as a Theraplay trainer. She is also a Dramatherapist, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist and Somatic Experience Practitioner. Jay also has an MBE for her work with children and young people.

Jay has been working with traumatised children since qualifying as a Dramatherapist in 1989, and passionately believes in the use of arts, play and body-based approaches in helping traumatised children and their families heal.

Jay’s extensive clinical experience with children and families has informed the Family Futures therapy model, Neuro Physiological Psychotherapy (NPP), which is research-evidenced to significantly improve outcomes for children with high levels of Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma. This NPP model integrates Theraplay as one of the core modalities.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

‘Of all the substances of abuse (marijuana, cocaine, and heroin), alcohol produces significantly more serious neuro-behavioural effects to an unborn child’.  Research estimates 1/50 children are affected by FASD with as many as 75% of Looked After Children at risk through documented exposure (The Peterborough Study).

For many adopters looking to build a family, the uncertainties that come with the diagnosis, or even the possibility of one, feel too overwhelming for them to take on and outweigh their confidence to parent. Horror stories, bad press, stigma, academic overload and fuzzy guidance all play their part in making a complex condition feel undoable.

The role of the social worker is absolutely critical in building adopters’ level of confidence. Informal feedback (which you will see) suggests ways that adopters feel the current approach could be more effective and fruitful by understanding a few of the key issues in a practical way.

That’s the focus of this session. We will be taking an honest look at the main concerns for adopters and a practical approach to how we address them a social workers so that our FASD families thrive. I’ll be candidly sharing my own experiences as an adopter and letting you hear first-hand from my daughter what has worked.

Learning 0utcomes

• To understand some of the main concerns and struggles that adopters face;
• To know how to effectively support adopters in a meaningful and way as they navigate the education system and face the many barriers to a diagnosis.
• To have a practical knowledge of the changes to the NICE guidelines and what they mean for FASD families.

About the trainer

Joy Hopgood-Gravett

A teacher by trade, a foster carer turned adopter by life’s twists and turns. Speaker, trainer, and fierce advocate for children with FASD since it casually waltzed into my life 16 years ago weighing 4lb11.

I’ve spent a lot of time in recent years supporting the adults who support children affected by FASD… I like to think I help them untangle it and see some of the potential and beauty it holds. Teachers, adopters, carers, social workers, even the occasional doctor… I’m unapologetically positive while acknowledging the challenges.”

As a family that includes two children who were adopted with a history of prenatal exposure to alcohol, I’ve lived enough of family life to know children with FASD are every bit as capable of thriving in a family as their peers… they just bring a little more colour to everything!

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

Our work with children from the care system and their new families inevitably means we are working at times with high levels of trauma, and just by being human our bodies and nervous systems are going to be impacted by this.

“The trainer was very knowledgeable and the break out rooms were good“– Attendee, June 2024

This expert-led training recognises the need for us, as helping professionals, to both heighten our awareness of the impact of stress on our bodies and find ways of looking after ourselves and resourcing our nervous systems. Understanding the impact of trauma only goes some way towards helping us make sense of our stress levels. What is needed when supporting ourselves to manage is for our bodies to be listened to. It is the body, as Van der Kolk says, that ultimately ‘keeps the score’.

“Relevant and interesting!” – Attendee, June 2024

The body needs attention and this workshop will focus on helping the children, young people and adults learn to care for themselves, find ways to resource themselves and manage their stress responses.

The workshop offers a combination of research information and psycho-education as well as practical strategies to look after ourselves.

“It was extremely interesting and relatable in both a personal and professional capacity. Good use of diagrams and exercises to bring the subjects to life.” – Attendee, June 2024

Learning Outcomes

• To think about trauma and how it is rooted in our bodies and nervous systems
• To help participants detect when there is nervous system activation/stress for children, young people and adults
• To help participants put in place ways to support children, young people and adults calm their nervous systems and stress response
• To think overall about the value of a body-based approach

About the trainer

Jay Vaughan

Jay, M.A., is a Somatic Experience Practitioner. Jay is also a state registered Dramatherapist, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist and certified Theraplay therapist and supervisor as well as a Theraplay trainer. She is the Clinical Director at Family Futures CIC and has been working with traumatised children since qualifying as a Dramatherapist in 1989.  Jay passionately believes in the use of arts, play and body-based approaches in helping traumatised children and their families heal.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) was developed by Dan Hughes as an approach to helping children who have experienced trauma from within the family. This is both a therapy offering therapeutic support to the child, supported by the parent and a model for parenting.  DDP-informed parenting helps parents to emotionally connect with their children in ways which increases feelings of safety and security.

The therapy and parenting model recognises that the children often fear emotional connection. It helps them to overcome these fears and to heal from past trauma. It draws on the therapist and parents’ capacity for emotional regulation and reflection so that they can adopt the attitude of PACE (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy) with the children. This attitude helps to increase security and in parenting is combined with behavioural support.

“Kim has such a depth of knowledge, but made the subject easily accessible and provided some useful tools to use in practice.” – Attendee, 2024

The training will give a brief introduction to the DDP model and its application as a therapy and a model informing parenting.

“Kim was excellent at engaging and aiding our understanding of the subject.” – Attendee, 2024

“Kim is a remarkable and inspiring trainer who simplifies some complex theories and approaches that i can draw upon in my work with families. She makes it all look so easy which i know in practice it isn’t always the case.” – Attendee, 2024

Learning outcomes

• Understand the DDP model and its application as a therapy
• Understand the principles of DDP-informed parenting support
• Understand the usefulness of this model for adoptive parents and their children
• Consider examples of DDP in practice

Information about the trainer

Dr Kim Golding

Dr Golding is a Clinical Psychologist living in Worcestershire, UK. Kim worked with children and families within the NHS for thirty years, specialising in working with parents or carers to develop their parenting skills tailored to the particular needs of the children they are caring for. She was involved in the setting up and evaluation of the Integrated Service for Looked After and Adopted Children; providing support for foster, adoptive and residential parents, schools and the range of professionals around the children growing up in care or in adoptive families. Kim now has her own business providing training, consultation and supervision.

Dr Golding formerly sat on the board of the DDP institute and is involved in accrediting and training other professionals in this approach. She is also one of the directors of the Community Interest Company: ‘DDP Connects UK’. Amongst her books, Kim co-authored: ‘Healing Relational Trauma with Attachment-Focused Interventions Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy with Children and Families’ with Dan Hughes and Julie Hudson, published January 2019. Kim also co-authored the healing relational trauma workbook with Dan Hughes published in 2024.

Dr Golding has additionally developed two DDP-informed programmes. ‘The Nurturing Attachments Training Resource’; and ‘Foundations for Attachment Training Resource’ Kim’s ‘Everyday Parenting with Love and security’ has been written to accompany Foundations for Attachment.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

Over the last few years, there has been an increased focus on how children should maintain relationships with their birth family post-adoption. Culture change work delivered by the University of East Anglia and Adoption England has led to changes across the country in practitioners’ and agencies’ approaches to managing post-adoption contact, or ‘staying in touch’ arrangements.

This practice workshop will explore some of the research and theory behind the importance of maintaining relationships for adopted children, particularly in relation to identity and understanding life history. It will also consider how adopters can be prepared for future relationships with birth family, and provide an opportunity to think about how to plan and support staying in touch arrangements. The workshop will include interactive elements such as case studies, videos and group discussions.

Learning 0utcomes

• To understand the reasons behind why change is needed in post-adoption contact, with a focus on theory and research.
• To understand the importance of children’s relationships with birth family.
• To learn about some of the resources and tools available when making staying in touch arrangements.
• To have some practical suggestions around preparing, assessment and supporting prospective adopters, and for working with birth families.

About the trainer

Ruth Copson

Ruth is a researcher and experienced adoption social worker. She is currently working as a Senior Research Associate at the University of East Anglia on an evaluation of Early Permanence projects, undertaken in support of the National Adoption Strategy, and has worked with Beth Neil and colleagues on culture change work around maintaining relationships in adoption. Her recently completed PhD explores how family time in Early Permanence placements is managed and experienced by parents, carers, infants and practitioners, which includes a focus on relationships between parents and EP carers.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

In this training session will look in detail at assessing prospective adopters with complex mental and health issues as a critical aspect of the adoption process. The assessment process must consider a wide range of issues, including Body Mass Index (BMI), unhealthy lifestyles, long-term medical conditions, and mental disorders to ensure prospective adopters are able to successfully parent a child and provide a safe and stable home.

Together with Ellie Johnson, a health consultant at CoramBAAF, we will get to the nitty gritty of the assessment process to consider the prospective adopter’s ability to manage their condition, and their ability to provide a secure and supportive environment for a child.

As part of this training, we will consider how to best ensure that prospective adopters receive appropriate treatment and support, so they can meet their adopted child’s needs.

Learning 0utcomes

• Understanding the importance of considering complex mental and health issues in the adoption process
• Awareness of the potential impact of high BMI, unhealthy lifestyles, long-term medical conditions, and mental disorders on an individual’s ability to parent
• Understanding the importance of considering an individual’s ability to manage their condition and provide a stable environment for a child
• Awareness of the importance of ensuring prospective adopters receive appropriate treatment and support
• Understanding the relationship between mental and physical health and its impact on the adoption process

About the trainer

Ellie Johnson

Ellie graduated from Manchester University with a nursing degree and worked as a nurse, midwife, health visitor and specialist public health practitioner in the NHS for 25 years. She was a designated nurse for looked after children for 14 years and chaired a regional LAC nursing network. During this time she was also involved in a joint project with the National Children’s Bureau focusing on inequalities in health experienced by looked after children.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

A comprehensive webinar designed for who Adoption practitioners and managers or any professional working with children and families, whowant to better support Black and Brown children who were adopted in education settings. This session will delve into the historical context of the UK education system, exploring how its legacy continues to shape the experiences of children from diverse racial backgrounds and marginalised groups.

Through interactive discussions and practical examples, participants will learn how racial identity development and experiences of racism can affect a child’s academic performance and overall wellbeing, with a particular focus on children who were adopted.

The webinar will build confidence in professionals and caregivers to advocate for inclusion, equity, and positive self-identity in schools. By raising awareness of the subtle and overt forms of racism that can manifest in schools.

Participants will gain insights into effective advocacy techniques and protocol to ensure Black and Brown children who were adopted receive the support they need and thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Learning 0utcomes

• Examine the UK Education System
  Understand the historical context of the UK education system and how it affects the schooling experiences of Black and Brown children who were adopted.
• Recognise the Importance of Racial Identity
  Explore the role of racial identity in a child’s development and the impact of racism on self-esteem, belonging, and academic success.
• Assess and Encourage Inclusive Teaching Strategies
  Learn tools to gauge the inclusivity of learning environments that celebrate diversity and support children of all racial backgrounds
• Address Racism in Schools
  Identify and challenge overt and subtle forms of racism, advocating for learning strategies, policies and initiatives that foster an anti-racist culture within educational settings.
• Advocate for Black and Brown Children Who Were Adopted
  Develop the skills to collaborate with schools, educators, and policy-makers to ensure the unique needs of Global Majority children who were adopted are met.

About the trainer

Esher Williams

Esher is an anti-racism consultant, public speaker, corporate trainer, educator and practitioner and the founder of Anti-Racism Hub. Facilitating thought-provoking and engaging training and workshops Esher is adept at facilitating challenging but essential conversations that build understanding of the complex subject of racism, racism in education settings and transracial adoption.

As a late-discovering step-parent adoptee, a transracial adopter and former foster carer, Esher has a personal interest and dedication in helping parents/carers, educators and children’s social work practitioners understand their responsibility in building cultural competency in their role. Ensuring the adults around our children are best prepared with meaningful cultural capital to carry with them and build upon through their lives.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

This bespoke training session designed for adoption practitioners, is led by esteemed expert Katie Wrench, a Therapeutic Social Worker and Psychotherapist specializing in adoption dynamics.

In this dynamic workshop, you will dive deep into the intricacies of Therapeutic Life Story Work within the context of adoption. Together with Katie Wrench, you will explore strategies for navigating challenging conversations inherent in adoption journeys, with a primary focus on creating safety and trust throughout the process.

Katie was incredibly knowledgeable and she shared practice examples and took time to discuss case examples and offer her advice and guidance.” Course Attendee – Nov 2024

Drawing from years of experience and expertise, Katie will guide participants through a comprehensive framework for conducting Therapeutic Life Story Work, equipping attendees with practical tools and techniques to effectively engage with adoptive families and individuals.

Very informative and interactive, I took a lot away from this training.” Course Attendee – Nov 2024

Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to refine your skills or a newcomer eager to learn from the best, this session offers a unique opportunity to expand your knowledge and enhance your practice.

Learning outcomes

• Gain insights into the principles and practices of Therapeutic Life Story Work in adoption
• Explore strategies for building safety and trust in difficult conversations
• Learn practical tools and techniques for conducting effective therapeutic interventions
• Benefit from the wealth of experience and expertise shared by Katie Wrench, a renowned practitioner in the field
• Network with fellow adoption practitioners and professionals

About the trainer

Katie Wrench

Katie Wrench is an experienced therapeutic social worker who until 2020 was managing a local authority Therapeutic Social Work Team where she worked for 18 years. She is now Head of Clinical Services at www.bussmodel.org.  She is also a qualified art psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor who lives and works in West Yorkshire.  Katie is dual registered with the Health Care Professions Council and Social Work England.

Katie has co-authored a highly accessible book about life story work that is full of tried and tested activities and creative ideas for professionals, adoptive parents and foster carers who may have little time and few resources, but who need to carry out life story work that works for children – Life Story Work with Children who are Fostered or Adopted: Creative Ideas and Activities (Wrench & Naylor, 2013, Jessica Kingsley Publishers). Her second publication is Helping Vulnerable Children & Adolescents To Stay Safe. Creative Ideas and Activities for Building Protective Behaviours (2016), with a third book published in June 2018, Creative Assessments with Vulnerable Children and Families. Her latest writing is due for publication in June 2024 and is entitled Skills and Knowledge for Life Story Work with Children and Adolescents.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

Supporting adopted and foster children,  and young people who have experienced trauma, attachment disruption, separation and loss,  requires a multifaceted approach rooted in understanding, empathy, and specialized care.

Recognising the unique challenges these individuals encounter, adoptive parents and professionals must provide a nurturing environment that prioritizes stability, consistency, and therapeutic interventions tailored to their specific needs.

“Denise and Zach are very knowledgeable and shared practical and useful information and tips. It has improved my understanding of how I can support parents who are struggling with challenging behaviours which is great.”
(Adoption Social Worker Mar 2025)

This training course focuses on an attachment, ‘love-based’ approach which is based on techniques and strategies from The Great Behaviour Breakdown; The trainers incorporate their ideas and strategies developed from living and working with children with additional needs, as well as drawing on DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy)/PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance. Curiosity, Empathy, and theraplay) techniques.

Absolutely brilliant course, with fantastic, knowledgeable and really engaging tutors. So glad that we had the opportunity to do this!
(Adoptive Parent March 25)

This training focuses on the particular difficulties faced by children and young people in managing stress and provides a to help parents, carers and professionals manage their children’s behaviours and support their regulatory development.

You will learn practical strategies and be provided with a TOOLBOX of techniques to support parents.

Learning 0utcomes

• The importance of core messages for Parents and Professionals and Positive versus Negative Parenting interventions
• Understanding the Stress Model: Regulation vs Dysregulation and the role of relationship in regulation
• Transforming the Drama Triangle into a Winners Triangle
• The Toolbox of Techniques and applying this to Transitions, Defiance and Physical and Verbal Aggression

About the trainers

Denise Golding is a senior social work practitioner and counsellor. She has 30+ years’ experience of working with children and families, including the past 25+ years working in adoption. She has worked in Child Mental Health and in Statutory as well as Independent and Voluntary Agencies. Denise now works independently as a trainer and counsellor.

Zach Gomm is a foster carer and adopter; he has fostered many children over the past years and is an adoptive father to his son who he has parented using The Great Behaviour Breakdown techniques with amazing results for the past years. Zach now works as a trainer and online coach offering parenting support.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at [email protected]. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.